As you type a document in Microsoft Word, you may notice the software frequently taking control of your keyboard. If you type “teh,” Word instantly deletes it and replaces it with “the.” If you type “(c)”, it replaces it with the copyright symbol (©). This is driven by the “AutoCorrect” engine, which aggressively scans every single keystroke you make and automatically replaces words it believes are typos or formatting shortcuts.
While AutoCorrect is designed to speed up typing by fixing common mistakes, it is incredibly frustrating if you are trying to write technical documentation, code snippets, or fictional names. If you intentionally type a specific abbreviation and Word forcefully changes it to a completely different word without your permission, you are forced to stop typing, press Backspace, and fight the software to get your original text back.
You can completely disable the AutoCorrect engine, forcing Microsoft Word to respect exactly what you type on the keyboard, character for character.
How to Turn Off AutoCorrect in Microsoft Word
You must disable the automated text replacement rules within the Proofing options.
- Open your document in Microsoft Word.
- Click on File in the top-left corner of the ribbon.
- Click on Options at the bottom of the left sidebar.
- In the Word Options window, select Proofing from the left-hand navigation pane.
- Click the AutoCorrect Options… button in the main pane.
- A new dialog box will open. Ensure you are on the AutoCorrect tab.
- Look for the primary checkbox labeled Replace text as you type.
- Uncheck this box to disable the entire text replacement engine.
- Click OK twice to close both windows and save your changes.
Microsoft Word is now essentially a dumb typewriter. It will no longer intercept your keystrokes, alter your spelling, or generate symbols. Every character you type will appear exactly as you typed it, giving you total manual control over your document’s text.